How to carry a semi-auto
- Thread starter AL45
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JoeSixpack
New member
Not familiar with the p238 but after looking it up I agree with Dale.
It's SAO so your only real choice is cocked and locked with one in the pipe just like a 1911.
I mean.. technically you could carry it chambered and hammer down or some variation but I wouldn't recommend it.
It's SAO so your only real choice is cocked and locked with one in the pipe just like a 1911.
I mean.. technically you could carry it chambered and hammer down or some variation but I wouldn't recommend it.
MandolinMan
New member
I have the P938 ( basically the same in 9mm) and always carry hammer cocked, safety on. I don't believe that there is any reason to be concerned about carrying this way. The safety is very positive and doesn't disengage accidentally, and the trigger is fairly heavy at around 8 lbs.
Badgerstate
New member
Id carry it with a round in the chamber, hammer cocked and the safety on. Like someone else said, it was based on the 1911 and thats the way that John Browning designed it to be carried.
I pocket carry a P238 when IWB doesn't work for one reason or another. My wife has another, which is the pistol she carries every day. All carried pistols should have a holster that covers the trigger, in my opinion. The holsters we have for the little Sigs also cover the safety lever. We routinely carry them cocked and locked. The thumb safety clicks on and off quite decisively, and we have never had one move in either direction inadvertently. They are quite safe to carry cocked and locked. If carried with the hammer down, you would have to worry about not only the delay in making the pistol ready, but also about fumbling the cocking motion under stress, since the hammer is fairly small.
You should carry your auto the way it was designed to be carried.
I have DAO autos that have no safety, are carried with a round in the chamber, and the long heavy(ish) DA trigger is the "safety". They are carried like a revolver.
I have DA/SA autos that have a decocker. Those, you load up with a round in the chamber, use the decocker and you have a DA first shot followed up by SA subsequent shots. No safety is needed as again, you have a relatively long and heavy DA first shot (like a revolver) as a "safety", though some do come with a safety (none I own anymore).
A 1911 or other SAO (like your P238) is designed to be carried, as the others have said, with a round in the chamber, hammer cocked, safety engaged.
Whatever you use, here's another vote for always using a holster when carrying a gun upon your person.
I have DAO autos that have no safety, are carried with a round in the chamber, and the long heavy(ish) DA trigger is the "safety". They are carried like a revolver.
I have DA/SA autos that have a decocker. Those, you load up with a round in the chamber, use the decocker and you have a DA first shot followed up by SA subsequent shots. No safety is needed as again, you have a relatively long and heavy DA first shot (like a revolver) as a "safety", though some do come with a safety (none I own anymore).
A 1911 or other SAO (like your P238) is designed to be carried, as the others have said, with a round in the chamber, hammer cocked, safety engaged.
Whatever you use, here's another vote for always using a holster when carrying a gun upon your person.
Wheel gun is always respectable 
Besides, gun fights are fun in movies but reality says it will be over in 1 or at most 2-3 shots especially if you take the first shot. Although some will argue your accuracy will go down but then CCW encounters are usually really close range.
With that said though it really is meant to be carried as was described above. And forget carrying w/o a round in the chamber as cracking the slide to put a round in the pipe is way too slow.
I first carried that way some years ago and as an experiment I timed myself and found it was double or more the time it took with one in the chamber.
Besides, gun fights are fun in movies but reality says it will be over in 1 or at most 2-3 shots especially if you take the first shot. Although some will argue your accuracy will go down but then CCW encounters are usually really close range.With that said though it really is meant to be carried as was described above. And forget carrying w/o a round in the chamber as cracking the slide to put a round in the pipe is way too slow.
I first carried that way some years ago and as an experiment I timed myself and found it was double or more the time it took with one in the chamber.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Guns with hammers were not necessarily "designed" to be carried cocked. The 1911 was designed to be carried hammer down, for example.
The SIG P238 is a copy of the 1950s Star DK. It has an inertial firing pin which makes the gun entirely safe to carry hammer down on a live round. Should you choose this method of carry it is imperative that you train with it. People carried single action guns for a very long time with the hammer down.
The Star design also has an excellent safety system, so cocked and locked carry is safe also.
The SIG P238 is a copy of the 1950s Star DK. It has an inertial firing pin which makes the gun entirely safe to carry hammer down on a live round. Should you choose this method of carry it is imperative that you train with it. People carried single action guns for a very long time with the hammer down.
The Star design also has an excellent safety system, so cocked and locked carry is safe also.
Kevin Rohrer
New member
The OP needs SAO-specific training w/ that weapon so he can determine that Condition-1 is the appropriate carry mode.
A personal observation. Competing in an IPSC match, a big one! Way back, one stage was a real quicky, just 4 shots, 20 points available.
Scenario, your pistol was holstered, my 1913 Colt .45, locked and cocked.
You stood in front of a closed door, in your right hand (My shooting hand) you held a Pizza a 1 foot circle of plywood!
You dropped the "Pizza" opened the door, this triggered two cardboard targets, which were lying down, on their backs, to swing up, and down on their faces.
About two seconds was your exposure time.
I MISSED THE SAFETY CATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! TARGETS GONE!
Never done that prior to this high pressure panic.
Just like you would experience in a real gun fight! Retired 1911, Glock 17 Hello!
In shooting in NY State Finger Lakes, IPSC, Mike Braun, the Range Master said I could not shoot that pistol, it had no safety catch. "Mike, it is double action only? the trigger COCKS the firing pin" He swallowed that.
1984, introducing the Glock 17 to IPSC. 34 year later, after selling the Glock pistols to the Toronto Police Force! Against my advice, they picked .40 cal.
I now live in the USA, and carry a Glock 19 4th gen, every day!
Scenario, your pistol was holstered, my 1913 Colt .45, locked and cocked.
You stood in front of a closed door, in your right hand (My shooting hand) you held a Pizza a 1 foot circle of plywood!
You dropped the "Pizza" opened the door, this triggered two cardboard targets, which were lying down, on their backs, to swing up, and down on their faces.
About two seconds was your exposure time.
I MISSED THE SAFETY CATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! TARGETS GONE!
Never done that prior to this high pressure panic.
Just like you would experience in a real gun fight! Retired 1911, Glock 17 Hello!
In shooting in NY State Finger Lakes, IPSC, Mike Braun, the Range Master said I could not shoot that pistol, it had no safety catch. "Mike, it is double action only? the trigger COCKS the firing pin" He swallowed that.
1984, introducing the Glock 17 to IPSC. 34 year later, after selling the Glock pistols to the Toronto Police Force! Against my advice, they picked .40 cal.
I now live in the USA, and carry a Glock 19 4th gen, every day!
JoeSixpack
New member
1911 designed to be carried hammer down? really? I mean this is kinda shocking news I've never heard this before and I've never seen anyone carry one hammer down.
What makes you say it was originally intended to be carried down?
What makes you say it was originally intended to be carried down?
Hey Joe. This is just an FYI. I posted the way I would carry (round chambered, cocked and safety on) but a lot of military folk on this site have said that back when the 1911 was the standard they had to carry empty chamber, hammer down, safety off. Of course this was not in 'combat conditions'.
The incredible variations we have in this hobby (guns) constantly amazes me.
The incredible variations we have in this hobby (guns) constantly amazes me.
Bill DeShivs
New member
The 1911 was originally a cavalry pistol. It was to be cocked (and uncocked, if necessary) with one hand.
The gun was designed without a safety. The armed forces requested the safety.
The "cocked and locked" stuff came about in the 1970s with Col. Jeff Cooper and speed shooting the 1911.
A 1911 with round chambered and hammer fully down can be put into action about as fast as a single action Colt, if you practice that way.
I am not advocating either method. Do whatever works for you. Condition 2 requires a lot more practice, and it requires you to safely lower the hammer on a live round. Everyone seems too scared to do that today, but it's what the HAMMER is for!
The gun was designed without a safety. The armed forces requested the safety.
The "cocked and locked" stuff came about in the 1970s with Col. Jeff Cooper and speed shooting the 1911.
A 1911 with round chambered and hammer fully down can be put into action about as fast as a single action Colt, if you practice that way.
I am not advocating either method. Do whatever works for you. Condition 2 requires a lot more practice, and it requires you to safely lower the hammer on a live round. Everyone seems too scared to do that today, but it's what the HAMMER is for!
seeker_two
New member
In a good belt holster, Condition One is recommended. In the pocket, Condition Two is a safer bet.
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